What are your plans for Christmas? I will be enjoying some peace and quiet in amongst seeing family and friends, and inducing in some festive cooking as making and eating food is another passion of mine! I love Christmas films, and start watching them in November and I have lost count of the number of times I have seen White Christmas and It’s a Wonderful Life. I recently found The Nutcracker on YouTube which I really enjoyed, and I also like the seasonal Architectural Digest, and seeing the Christmas decor in some colossal houses. There is a fabulous rendition of A Christmas Carol on BBC iPlayer at the moment with Guy Pearce: very dark and brooding. I also love the wintery walks around New York and beyond with Aaron & Patrick which make a lovely background chat while I’m doing something arty or adminny.
I spent many years running a smallholding and beekeeping business and spring, summer and autumn were hectic so I relish the cool calm of winter even though I no longer have those outdoorsy commitments. Winter is a good time for catching up with my reading, as I love that feeling of everything being happy and settled for the evening by 4pm and I can light my candle and relax. I’m definitely a morning person and tend to get up and work from about 6am so I feel justified in finishing my day in the afternoon. I’m currently reading Rod Chernow’s biography, Alexander Hamilton which is brilliantly written. I also have a pretty facsimile edition of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol which is fun, and I like to start that the day before Christmas Eve.
I have finished teaching at Wilderness Wood now, and the wood is closed for January so the art club will start again in February. Charleston is open over the Christmas period and fortunately as I do Wednesdays, so as far as I’m aware I won’t miss any thanks to how the days of the week fall for the holidays this year. Soho Life Drawing will stop for a couple of weeks so I can step down from the social media commitments I have there.
Having been a single parent since my children were small, Christmas is very much about self-care and finding quiet and healing activities during what is for many a difficult time. Thankfully my children are largely beyond that so are making their own memories but for me this time continues to be an opportunity for reflection and appreciation, and a chance to stop and enjoy the lack of traffic – both real and metaphorical.
Do you have any special things you like to do in the run up to the festive period?
I like to make pease pudding, just as my grandmother did. Pease pudding hot or cold, before you ask 🙂 Makes the kitchen smell wonderful…
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Ah lovely! I use a lot of pulses these days, especially now you can get so many British grown varieties!
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